Raising and lowering device for elevators



N. P. JULIEN.

RAISING AND LOWERING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. I919.

1,366,079. Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

INVENTOR, jI/Fzpoleon Btfilltbfl,

A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAISING AND LOWERING DEVIGE FO R ELEVATCSBS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18,1921.

Application filed February 14, 1919. Serial No. 276,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NAPOLEON P. JULIEN,

of Sorel, Province of Quebec, Canada, a subject of the King of Great Britain, at present residing in Springfield, county of Hampden, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Raising and Lowering Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in raising and lowering devices for elevators of the type in which a rotating drum is employed to operate the car. In elevators of this type a plurality of wire-cables are attached atone of their ends to the upper end of the car, and, at their other ends, to a counter weight. These cables are passed in the usual manner over a drum which is provided, or formed, with suitable shaped grooves whereby, when the cables enter these grooves, as the drum is rotated, there is an automatic gripping or pinching action between the cables and the drum with the result, that the car is elevated or lowered. In practice, the shape or formation of these grooves is usually that of the letter V, with sharp inclined walls, causing, as stated, a gripping or pinching action between the cable and the drum. It has been found in actual practice that the continued gripping or grinding action between the grooves and cables of the drum, that there is a decided and comparatively rapid wear and destruction of the cables by reason of the V-shaped grooves. This type of elevator mechanism is known, or sometimes spoken of as traction elevators, that is to say, upon the to tation oi the drum, by any suitable motor, as an electric, the car is drawn or pulled upward by the tractive effort, or action, between the drum and cables, which, as stated, is accomplished by causing the cables to engage the V-shaped grooves.

The present invention is designed to overs come this destructive efl'ectof the V-shaped grooves on the wire cables, and,at the same time, maintain an efficient tractive effort between the drum and cables.

Broadly considered, the invention comprises a rotatable drum in which the shape of the cable receiving grooves is substantially seml-clrcular or slightly less than SQIlll-Cll'QHlitI in extent. The drum s provided with suitable cooperative means for automatically and periodically forcing the cables into these grooves, and, at the same time providing means for frictionally gripping and releasing the cables as the drum is rotated during the raising and lowering operations of the car.

More specifically considered, the invention includes a stationary cam plate for automatically and periodically operating the cable gripping means which may becarried by the drum for the purpose, as stated, for gripping and forcibly moving the cables into the grooves in the drum during its rotation, and for releasing the cable gripping means.

Having thus briefly outlined the nature and purpose of my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a longitudinalsectional view taken on a plane passingthrough the axis of the drum and showing a portion ofthe shell or rim part of the drum; the usual worm gearconnection between the motor and drum for operating the drum; the fixed cam plate for opening and closing thecable gripping jaws, one of the pairs of jaws being shown open and the other in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse sectional. view on the broken sectional line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the drum, the fixed cam plate for operating the cable gripping jaws;

and a portion of one cable, it being understood that in used. 7

lieierring to the drawings in detail:

practice more than one cable is l designates the main operating shaft to which the drum 2 is connected in any suitalnc manner; as by means of spokes or webs, 3 a' worm gear which iskeyedto the shaft. ila worm meshing with the gear 3. This gear is connected to a shaft 5 which is preferably the armature shaft of an electric motor which. is represented in outline at 6. The usual shaft supporting bearing blocks are shown at 7. 8 designates one of the cables. 9 is a cam plate which is formed with a hub 9 that is fixed to some stationary part of the building structure by means of the bolts 10. This plate is formed, as shown in Fig. 2, with a continuous groove, which is made up of the upper and lower portions 11 and 12 that are concentric with the axis and are substantially semicircular in extent. Their diametrically located end portlons, as shown, are connectedby means of the inclined grooved portions 13 and 14,

the groove 11 being of less radius than the groove 12 as shown. As shown in Fig. 1. these grooves are duplicated ontheopposite side of the cam plate 9 and are designated by the reference characters 11 and 12, respectively. Cooperating with these oppositely located grooves are rollers 15 and 16 which are located therein, and, which are rotatably mounted on the inner ends of the arms 17 and 18 of the bell crank levers 19 and 2O which are pivotally connected to.

the inwardly extending lugs 21 and 22 on the inner surface of the rim part of the drum 2; the pivots being indicated at 23 and 24. The other arms 25 and 26 of the bell crank levers extend radially outward. through the openings 27 and 28 of the rim. The circumferentialportion of the rim of the drum which is located between the openings 27 and 28 is formed with a semi-circular groove29 to receive the wire cable 8. The outer ends of the arms 25 and 26 are formed with arc-shaped surfaces 25 and 26 which constitute jaws that are designed for engaging and gripping the cable and, further ifdesired, for forcing the cable inward to its seat in the circular groove 29, as shown at the top of Fig. 1 at which time the rollers 15 and 16 are passing down either one of the inclined grooved portions 13 and 14, depending upon the direction of rotation. and are retained in this position by means of the cam groove 11, as will be fully explained in referring to the operation of the device.

It should be particularly noticed that the outer ends of the cable-gripping or arms 25 and 26 are formed with inclined surfaces 25 and 26 whereby the V-shaped opening orspace 30 between these surfaces is formed when these jaws are closed, shown at the top of Fig. 1. The purpose of this V-shaped opening is to cause the cable 8 to readily enter the space between the jaws and seat itself in the groove 29 without any danger of its falling outside of the arms 25 and 26. I

7 It is to be understood that the drum 2, is, in practice, provided with a plurality or series of cable gripping jaws and cable receiving grooves corresponding to the number of cables used, and that the single cable shown is merely illustrative. The single cable 8' and its cooperating jaws clearly show the principle and nature of my inven- Referring now to the operation of the device, the drum 2 is to be considered as being driven bythe motor 6 through the gears 3 and 4t, and shaft 1. As the rollers 15 and 16, on opposite sides of the cam plate 9 pass from the grooves 12 and 12 to grooves 11 and 11, the arms 25 and 26 are moved from the open positionshown at the lower side of Fig. 1, to the closed position shown at the top of Fig. 1. At this point the cable is forcibly gripped by the curved surfaces 25 and 26 of the arms 25 and 2(5 and the cable is, at the same time, forced or moved inward to its s at in the circular groove 25) of the drum, with the result that the structure of the cable is not distorted out of its true shape, but is engaged by the jaws and groove at substantially its entire circular surface of the cable at that part of its length- As the drum is rotated by the motor. the gripping jaws exert a tractive or pulling effort on the cables to lift, or lower, the car. Vhen the rollers 15 and 16 reach the inclined cam groove 13, if the drum is rotated left handed, the jaws are automatically opened and the cable released until again gripped when the rollers reach the inclined. grooved portion 14. when the operation is repeated.

it is to be understood that the reverse op erations are repeated when the drum 2 is revolved in the opposite directions on the downward movement of the ear.

From this description it will be seen that I have provided. an elevating mechanism of the tractor type in which all rlamrer of injury or destruction of the cable entirely prevented, and overcome since the strands of the cable are not distorted or moved out of their original shape by the jaws and groove construction herein shown and described. It also permits the complete elimination of the lower or idle sheave wheels.

it is also to be understood that variations or modifications of the form or shape of the groove in the drum and the form or shape of the gripping jaws may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

t is also to be understood that I do not knit myself to the particular shape of the grooved cam plate as a cam plate may be employed in which circular shaped projections or ridges of different thickness may be employed to effect the opening, or closing. of the gripping jaws, as for example, instead of the grooves 11, 1.1, 12 and 12' they may be replaced by ribs of different thicknesses to cause the operation of the jaws. Also, confining grooves may be used to retain the arms of the gripping jaws in place or in contact with the cam-plate as described.

The principle of my invention is, as stated, to provide a stationary cam-plate oi suitable construction to periodically cause the opening and closing ofthe cable gripping jaws.

It is also to be understood that the munber of pairs of gripping jaws may, if desired, be more than four as shown. In practice five or more pairs would be employed in order to avoid the possible objection of having one pair open as the diametrically Ell) located pair closes. By employing more than four pairs of gripping jaws at least two pairs would be in constant gripping action with the cable during the time one pair would be closing or opening asreadily understood.

It will be observed that by reason of the use of the angular shaped levers the inner or cam engaging ends will be moved in directions that aresubstantially radial to the drum, and the outer or cable engaging ends will be moved in directions that are substantially parallel to theaxis of the drum.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, the combination, of a rotatable drum formed with a cable receiving groove, bell crank lever, gripping jaws carried by the drum, means including a fixed double face camplate provided with lever receiving grooves of different radii on its opposite faces for operating the jaws at predetermined points during the rotation of the drum for gripping the cable and for automatically releasing the gripping jaws at predetermined points during the rotation of the drum, when the levers pass from the grooves of lesser radii to the grooves of greater radii.

2. In a lifting mechanism, the combination, of arotatable drum formed with a cable-receiving groove that is substantially circular in contour, oppositely movable cable gripping jaws carried by the drum, means comprising a stationary plate formed with cam grooved faces of different radii and located on its opposite sides and said grooves being so formed as to cause the operation of the jaws at predetermined points during the rotation of the drum, as described.

3. In a lifting mechanism, the combination, of a rotatable drum formed with a cable receiving groove, openings through the rim of the drum, cable gripping jaws attached to the drum and extending through the openings, a cam plate formed with grooves of different radii for receiving the jaws for periodically operating the gripping jaws for gripping and forcing the cable into the groove, the formation of the groove in the drum and on the faces of the jaws be gripping action and means for opening the aws to release the cable.

5. In an elevator mechanism, the combination, of a rotatable drum. formed with a cable receiving groove and having openings through the rim of the drum, cable gripping jaws complrising angular shaped levers ex tending t 1rough the openlngs, formed with cam grooves of different radii for causing the operation of the jaws to grip the cable, whereby a tractive effort is exerted by the drum and the jaws on the lifting cable and said plate having cam surfaces to release the jaws.

6. A11 elevating mechanism, comprising in combination, a rotatable cablereceiving drum, of a plurality of movable means carried by the drum for gripping the cable to connect the same to the drum, and positive means including cam grooves of different radii for opening and-closing said gripping means during a portion of their travel.

7. In an elevating device, the combination, of a cable receiving drum provided with a groove to receive the cable, a plurality of pairs of cable-gripping jaws carried by the drum, said jaws forming part of angular shaped levers, means including a fixed plate having grooved cam surfaces in its opposite faces for receiving the levers for periodically opening and closing the jaws for gripping and releasing the cable to connect and disconnect the cable from the drum during its rotation, said jaws being provided with oppositely inclined surfaces for directing the movement of the cable into the roove.

' NAPOLEON P. 3ULIEN.

a plate 

